Dr. David Meredith:

That is certainly coming to the fore. However, in terms of national research strategies there is no national research strategy for rural development. We have sectoral strategies, which are important, and agriculture has played a key role in developing the broader rural space and supporting it. Teagasc has played a particularly key role in terms of providing funding for research on issues beyond the farm gate. We recognise that our clients are not in hermetically sealed units known as farm but in farm households that are strongly integrated into the wider economy. Teagasc could play a real leadership role in this area. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is developing this area through the rural renaissance initiative but there is a huge amount more work required to bring the focus there and to develop that critical capacity.